TED演讲:如何帮助年轻人构建更好的未来(1)

Today, there are 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 10 and 24 in the world.

今天，全世界有18亿年龄在10-24岁的年轻人。

It is the largest cohort in human history.

这是人类史上最大的群体。

Meeting their needs will be a big challenge. But it's also a big opportunity.

满足他们的需求将是个很大的挑战，但同时也是一个巨大的机遇。

They hold our shared future in their hands.

我们共同的未来在他们手中。

Every day, we read about young people lending their ideas and passions to fighting for change,

每天，我们读到年轻人把他们的想法和热情投入到变革的战争中，

social change, political change, change in their communities.

去改变社会，改变政治，改变他们的社区。

Imagine what they'll create: breakthroughs, inventions.

想象一下他们会创造的：突破，发明。

Maybe new medicines, new modes¹ of transportation, new ways to communicate, sustainable economies and maybe even a world at peace.

可能是新的药品，新的交通方式，新的通信方式，可持续经济，甚至还有和平的世界。

But this opportunity, this youth dividend², is not a given.

但这个机遇，这个青年红利，不是理所当然的。

One point eight billion young women and young men are standing³ at the door of adulthood⁴.

18亿年轻男女正站在成年的门口。

Are they ready? Right now, too few of them are.

他们准备好了吗？目前来看，大部分人并没有做好准备。

My favorite part of my job at UNICEF is a chance to talk to, meet with and hear from young people all around the world.

我在联合国儿童基金会最喜欢的一部分工作就是有机会可以跟全球的年轻人见面交流。

And they tell me about their hopes and dreams.

他们与我分享了他们的希望和梦想。

And they have amazing hopes and dreams for what they'll accomplish in their lives.

他们都有着终其一生想要达成的伟大希望和梦想。

But what they're also telling me is that they have fears.

但同时，他们也分享了内心的恐惧。

1 modes   

n.方式( mode的名词复数 )；（设备的）模式；样式；（衣着、艺术等的）形式

参考例句：

• Lasers can excite specific modes of the reactants. 而用激光则能够激发反应物的某些特定的运动模式。 来自英汉非文学 - 科技
• These tools are really different modes of behavior that the product enters. 这些工具属于产品进入的不同的行为模式，提供工具是对复杂性的妥协。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

2 dividend   

n.红利，股息；回报，效益

参考例句：

• The company was forced to pass its dividend.该公司被迫到期不分红。
• The first quarter dividend has been increased by nearly 4 per cent.第一季度的股息增长了近 4%。

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

4 adulthood   

n.成年，成人期

参考例句：

• Some infantile actions survive into adulthood.某些婴儿期的行为一直保持到成年期。
• Few people nowadays are able to maintain friendships into adulthood.如今很少有人能将友谊维持到成年。